Daily Almanac for
Nov 12, 2009
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Ask the Editors

The Question:

How do I determine what the wind chill factor is?

The Answer:

If you love math, here is your answer:

Where T = Air Temperature (°F), and V = Wind Speed (mph): Wind Chill (°F) = 35.74 + 0.6215T – 35.75(V0.16) + 0.4275T(V0.16)

If you still don't understand, don't worry. All you have to know is that wind chill is a measure of how much heat your body loses when you factor in the temperature and wind speed.

The wind chill factor was invented by two Antarctic explorers in the late 1940s. They experimented with how fast water freezes in certain wind speeds and temperatures, and then compared that to the rate that the body loses heat.

Here is a link to a table that will help you determine what the wind chill is outside right now. All you need to know is the temperature (in °F) and the wind speed. Wind Chill Index

—The Editors

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